The New Saints began their defence of the Genero Adran Trophy with a thrilling 5-4 victory over Genero Adran North side Llanfair United at Mount Field in the Round of 16.Â
Goals from Maria Francis-Jones and Lexi Jones gave the Saints a 2-0 lead inside the opening 14 minutes, but Llanfair pulled a goal back soon after as Tania Wylde capitalised on a defensive mistake and tapped home into an empty net.
Teenager Charlotte Crees sent a powerful strike beyond Ffion Davies to restore the visitors’ two-goal advantage on 28 minutes, but Llanfair halved the deficit again as Wylde scored directly from a corner shortly before half-time.
The back and forth nature of the game continued after the break as Crees headed in her second of the afternoon in the 56th minute, but Llanfair continued to remain in the contest as Sophie Cook finished from close range.
Lexie Harrison’s solo effort gave Saints a fifth goal with 16 minutes remaining, and while Wylde found the net from distance to complete her hat-trick late on, the hosts could not find an equaliser as the holders progressed.
Wrexham were the biggest winners in the Round of 16 as Mariam Mahmood’s hat-trick inspired an emphatic 9-0 victory over Llandudno at The Globe.
Mahmood produced a clinical strike from the edge of the area to open the scoring inside three minutes before Carra Jones tapped home from close range to double the lead seven minutes later. A third goal arrived just before the half hour mark as Faye Knox sent a low drive into the bottom corner from distance.
In the second half, Mahmood completed her hat-trick with two more goals either side of Katie Barker’s composed finish, before Rosie Hughes tapped home the rebound from Mahmood’s saved effort to add her name to the scoresheet. Barker and Hughes both completed their braces late on as Jenny Sugarman’s eased through to the quarter-finals.
Last season’s Genero Adran Trophy runners-up Swansea City reached the last eight with a 4-0 victory over five-time cup winners Cardiff Met at Llandarcy.Â
In-form striker Aimee Deacon put the Swans ahead with a curling strike in the 13th minute before Emily Thomas saw her header at the back post denied by the crossbar.
Stacey John’s superb strike from the edge of box did double the lead on 35 minutes though, before the forward set up Deacon to fire in her second of the afternoon shortly before half-time.
After a number of second half saves from Met goalkeeper Verity Jones, Swansea eventually found a fourth goal in the 81st minute when Emily Richards turned in Chloe Chivers’ cross from close range.
Lauren Payne scored a stoppage-time winner as Briton Ferry Llansawel progressed with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cwmbran Celtic at The Renewable Centre Stadium.
Megan Kearle tapped in the rebound after her initial effort was saved to give Ferry an early lead, before Cerys Shipley turned the ball home from close range to equalise for Celtic. However, the Genero Adran South side were level for barely a minute as Kearle rounded Amie Preston-Roberts and bagged her second of the afternoon.
Olivia Kett-White’s handball inside the area resulted in a Celtic penalty on the stroke of half-time, but Fiona Anthony blazed her spot-kick over the bar. The visitors did find a leveller seven minutes after the break though, as Cerys Pinchard’s deflected free-kick outwitted Courtney Young.
Ferry were awarded a penalty in the 89th minute after a foul on Laura-May Walkley-Witts inside the area, but Lucy Powell hit the crossbar with her attempt from 12 yards. That seemed to have condemned the tie to penalties, but Ferry continued to pile on the pressure and got their reward in the 91st minute when Payne slotted past Preston-Roberts.
Current Genero Adran Premier leaders Cardiff City eased into the quarter-finals with a 7-0 home win over Genero Adran North side Flint Town United.
The Bluebirds took the lead in style as Fiona Barry fired beyond Rebecca Bott from distance before Maddison Perrott doubled the advantage with her first goal for the club. Lucy Malin and Helen Evans netted from close range either side of Barry’s second of the afternoon as the hosts stormed into a five-goal lead at the interval.
There was a moment to savour for teenager Emillia Ashun, who scored her first ever senior goal by heading home from Elexis Lowe’s corner before Perrott made it seven in stoppage-time.
Aberystwyth Town were also in seventh heaven as the Seasiders beat Felinheli 7-0 at Park Avenue to reach the quarter-finals for a fifth consecutive season.
Sioned Kersey scored her first senior Aber goal as she calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 12thminute, while Amy Jenkins then scored twice either side of assisting Imogen Scourfield as the hosts took a four-goal lead into half-time.
Jess Baker came off the bench in the second half to bag a quickfire brace before Libby Isaac rounded off a comfortable afternoon for Rhys Jon James’ side.
Barry Town United earned their first home win since January with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Cascade at Jenner Park.
The contest remained goalless for 41 minutes, but quickfire goals from India Shanahan and Keira Harris on the stroke of half-time put Barry in a strong position at the break.
Teenager Beca Thomas marked her debut in the competition with a goal just four minutes after the restart as the Linnets booked a spot in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive season.
Pontypridd United claimed their first win of the season as Madison Lloyd’s late strike proved decisive in a 1-0 win over Genero Adran South side Llanelli Town at Stebonheath.
Llanelli came close to taking the lead as Nadia Phillips saw her header towards the bottom corner cleared off the line by Pontypridd captain Caitlin Davies.
The Dragons eventually showed their top-flight quality in the 83rd minute as Nicole Fenton slipped through Lloyd, who slotted past Bethan Ellis to send her side through.
Genero Adran Trophy Round of 16 results:
Aberystwyth Town 7-0 Felinheli
Barry Town United 3-0 Cascade
Briton Ferry Llansawel 3-2 Cwmbran Celtic
Cardiff City 7-0 Flint Town United
Llanelli Town 0-1 Pontypridd United
Llanfair United 4-5 The New Saints
Swansea City 4-0 Cardiff Met
Wrexham 9-0 Llandudno
